1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pattern generating method and apparatus for generating a character pattern of a bit map font from outline font data corresponding to a pattern having a curve portion.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, a character pattern generating apparatus for generating a character pattern of a bit map font from an outline font having a curve portion comprises means for calculating a straight line, means for calculating a curve, and means for designating a character size.
However, in the above conventional apparatus, a straight line is calculated as a straight line and a curve is calculated as a curve irrespective of a character size and a bit map font pattern is generated, so that there are the following drawbacks.
(1) When a small character is generated, the curve portion of a character easily becomes fat and a painted portion is generated.
(2) Since a calculation of a curve is executed even in the case of a small character, it takes a time for the calculation and it is difficult to raise a generating speed of a character pattern.
As a method of suppressing the drawback of the above item (1), there is also a case of using a method whereby such a painted portion is prevented by adding additional information. However, if the above method is used, there are the following drawbacks.
(3) The calculation becomes complicated and a generating speed of a character pattern becomes slow.
(4) Since information is added, a data amount increases.